Ings Wood

The woodland around Ings Wood, just outside Brough, is the sort of place you'll find yourself returning to without quite planning to. It's proper walking country - the kind where you can lose an hour wandering between oak and beech without feeling like you've missed anything. The footpaths here are well-maintained enough, threading through dense woodland that feels genuinely remote despite being accessible from a proper town.

This works best for walkers and families who want something more substantial than a park stroll but aren't after dramatic scenery. Children will enjoy it - there's enough woodland to explore, fallen logs to clamber over, and that particular smell of damp earth and leaf litter that keeps them entertained. Adults will appreciate it as a proper bit of exercise without the effort of tackling moors. Allow two hours minimum if you want to do it justice rather than just nip in for twenty minutes.

If you're based at one of the local caravan sites - Little Wold Away Glamping or Willow Pond are both rated brilliantly - this sits nicely within striking distance as a morning or afternoon activity. William's Den is equally close. It's free to access, no faffing with admission charges, just turn up and get your boots muddy. Best visited when it's been dry for a day or two; after heavy rain the paths get waterlogged and it becomes more of a slog than a pleasure. Go on a weekday if you can - weekends bring the usual crowd of dog walkers.